Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-20

"They've better work than to SCALP
squsws, before them!" said Lagona, con-
temptuously, then, turning 70 Ada, he
said:
"My sister has travelled with Lagona
long enough-she will stay with her own
braves now, and take care OF them. They
are children and want motherf"
Having so spoken, and that in tone
and with look that admitted of no re-
ply, the Comanche chief waved his men
onward, and soon the yelling warriors
were again seen securing over the
! prairie on the trail Of the rangers-their
horses refreshened with water from the
stream just crossed.
"For Heavens sake do dismount, Miss
Ada, and cut US loose!" cried Malerson;
"we are almost dead"
Ada did as ne desired, and soon the
band were al free. But they had been
so harshly bound and confined in one po-
sition so long that at first they could
scarcely move. But the Captain hurried
to overhaul the few stores that were left,
and to his infinite Joy found bottle Of
rum LETT, which he lessened in quantity as
hastily as he could.
The party were now in truly pitiabIe
condition. They were far from the set
tlement, their horses not fit for travel,
their provisions almost gone, in the re-
! gion where the Indians were ell hostile to
the whites, ana had thus far been re-
strained from Staying them only by the
! influence of single chief, who might be
/ killed when the rangers were overtaken;
! and all OF their arms end ammunition had
| been taken away from them by the ran
gers. Only Ada was in a situation to Ce
! fend herself-she only had arms.
"What shall we do now, Miss Ada?"
asked MalersCn, as soon as he felt little
Comforted with his bottle-consoler.
"Get back to civilized region, where
we can do better than we have DONE"
said Ada, promptly. "Men," she said,
addressing the band, "you have suffered
peril and Inconvenience II my SsFViee, !
but you shall be rewarded. YoH eleeSffi
me your queen, and you shall Not Secret
it. In my wish to carry ouemy nksvate
designs l shall not forget your intkfests.
AS soon as our herses are rested and fed
we will make sweep into some of the
rich Mexican towns on the Rio Grande
and relieve them Ar their supertiuo4s|
wealth"
This speech of e9eir' lately condemned
leader was received thloud cheers by
the men; and their sour looks changed as
suddenly as April wea5her, from clouds
into sunshines If
eAssafa& XVI
The spirits of the rangers rather rose
when they bounded away on their fresh
horses, and the gallant Major hoped to
get so good a start that by travelling all
night he might be able yet to escape the |
immense force that WAS behind him. Yet, |
knowing the tireless nature of the Co. |
manche horse and rider, which, when |
forced, will neither stop for miles nor |
hours, he knew that he and those with /
him must keep untiaggingly on until they |
reached the settlemeDtS-th8t if they
halted to rest, even for two or three
hours, the sleepless foe would be upon
them.
For little while their spirits rose;
but soon they saw the long, dusky line Of
their foes break out from the range of
timber which they had recently left. And
then many glance was thrown back
from timeito time by the Major, who tried
to discover whether the enemy gained or
if his party held their own. For hours
thus they rode on, and the keen eyed ran
ger saw that, as the long-used and severe
Iy-tried horses of his troop began to flag,
I
ing upon him. Observing 8 small island i
or patch of timber in the prairie, some
miles ahead, he ordered his men
to push their horses to their ut
most speed, determining there to make a
stand-his only chance, indeed, against
such q host as followed him; for under
cover of the trees each C his Well-armed I
men was good for at least q dozen In.
dams
II was nearly dark, the sun was Just
sinking behind a black srl sWift-risiug I
storm-cloud in the west, I'D the Indians
were gaining very rapidly,
"DO you think we can reach the timber {
before they overtake us!' asked Mr.. {
Delorme, looking anxiousIy back and
for the wild yells of the t
fierce and exultant Indians, who believed 6
that the rangers were in their power, l
could De plainly heard.
GAS much as ever, but nope So" said ]
the Ranger.
GLOW like fends they Yell" said
Stella, looking back with an anxious eye. {
"Let our siX-shooters open on 'em /
once and they'll yell to ebetter purpose" Y
said the ranger, bitterly. 8
The race was now iearfully exciting
One-hal mile more and the rangers
would reach coyer-not quarter of a I
nile in their rear came at least two thous- [
and yelling savages. c
The rangers, as well as their leader, L
saw that it would be close work, and e
while they urged on their almost spent I
lorses they began to look to their i
weapons and measure the chances for q
irst shot.
Three or four minutes more and the ?
foremost of MCCullough's party were at L
he edge Of the little clump of wood, and d
cot three hundred yards behind rode La i
sona and his best mounted warriors, 4
heir shrill war whoops sounding like the q
lnell of death. A moment more and the S
'sngers were under cover, and, throwing :
themselves from their horses, began to b
ieploy out for defense. Y
A yell, single wild cry, ear-piercing s
n its shrillness, came at this moment e
rom the ranks of the Indians, and, to
he horror of Mr.. Delorme and his COM c
,anions, the white steed, which had so I
calamity carried Stella thus far from f
captivity, turned and fed, with her cling
nc in terror to its back, to the side of its q
MASTER, whose well-knoWn cry had y
cached its ear. And as'it reached =
Iagona he steadied the form Of the +
ainting girl in the saddle, and, uttering
wild shout of triumph, wheeled, with 4
,and of warriors circling in an impene- s
rable hedge around him, and, before the =
angers could do more than fire a harm
ess and scattering volley, was beyond a
heir reach. $
- 10 " al will